CDH Senior is a gem on the diamond, and in the classroom.

But, when you see Cretin-Derham Hall senior Rob Mouton tutoring a freshman in math, Rob quickly lays that old saying to rest.

"It's one of those subjects that some kids really struggle in", says Rob. "So, if I can help them do better and see that they really can do it and have confidence in themselves, it's something I take pride in."

Actually, Rob takes pride in just about everything, and it shows. Rob's pride in his school work has earned him a permanent spot on the Presidential Honor Roll at CDH.

Says Rob, "That's the highest honor roll that we have here at CDH. There's a gold honor roll, a purple honor roll, and then the presidential is above a 4.25 GPA, weighted, so."

A straight A student and a member of the National Honor Society, Rob admits to being competitive in the classroom.

"I just kind of take pride in having that aspect outside of my athletics", says Rob. "Just being able to do what I can in the classroom."

Ah yes, then there's Rob's athletics. A pitcher on the CDH baseball team, Rob that using his brain on the diamond is just as important as using it in class.

"I would say it's about 75% mental", says Rob. "There's a lot going on in your head, what kind of pitches you need to throw, where you need to throw the pitches, different game scenarios and things like that. And, if you're not thinking during the game it will catch up to you and it will come back to you and get you."

Rob's success on the mound has earned him a scholarship to pitch next year at Division-1 Bradley, in Peoria, Illinois. Rob plans to study mechanical engineering, using the formula that has helped him succeed despite his rigorous schedule.

"My academics are a lot bigger of a deal to me", says Rob. "Doing homework, studying for tests and things like that comes first before scheduling lifts and I always try to make sure I get most of my homework done before practice so when I get home at night I'll only have maybe 5-10 minutes of homework."

Life has been good to Rob Mouton, so, Rob has decided it's important to give something back. A Type-1 diabetic, Rob spent two weeks over the summer serving as a counselor at Camp Needlepoint,

"I went to the camp as a camper for six years and this year I decided that I wanted to give back and so I was a counselor there", says Rob. "Had a couple cabins full of kids and it was a lot of fun."

Fun yes, but Rob knows first-hand how important it is for an impressionable kid to see somebody a little bit older succeeding on the path that they too must travel.

"It's great because a lot of these kids are newly diagnosed and don't know where to go", says Rob. "And if I can provide some sort of a role model for them and be a good example for them, have something for them to look up to then that would be great because a lot of these kids need somebody like that."

If there's one more lesson those kids could learn from Rob Mouton, it might just be Rob's approach to life. Because, while Rob may be a competitor, there isn't a day that goes by when he's not trying to have at least a little bit of fun along the way.

Says Rob, "I just try to get a little bit better every single day in everything I do and still try to have fun when I'm doing it, too. Not just bearing down and grinding through it but finding some enjoyment out of it too."